Next Friday (16th March), I am off to NZ for two and a half weeks to walk a 10 day section of the Te Araroa. This section is about 100km, involves alot of vertical distance, but not alot of horizontal distance, with daily walking times averaging around 5 hours. If the weather is good and I am feeling fit, I will probably do some double section days an try to knock it off in about 7 days.

As for the conditions, the temp range should be about -5C (-10C extreme) to 25C (35C extreme), with bus loads of sandflies and pretty high UV. I have attached the list in my profile and am about to try it out on a hike in the Blue mountains. Suggestions would be very helpful (though I won't have time to buy really specialized gear)!

If the UV is supposed to be really bad - what about a little sunscreen? Or perhaps you've got a LS hiking shirt that I missed. If it's supposed to be buggy, I'd bring a cheap head net to keep the bugs out of your face. Overall I'd say you're looking pretty good. Didn't see water tx though.

I was wondering what route you were planning to tramp. Going by the temperature ranges and amount of up/down it sounds like the South Island, maybe the Richmond Ranges or Nelson Lakes over Waiau Pass. Anyway whereever, its all fabulous country.

One thing I noticed on your gear list (rest looks good btw) was that you are intending to use gas stoves in the huts for cooking. Actually most tramping huts in New Zealand don't have gas cookers, only the huts on the Great Walks and a few very popular huts elsewhere have gas cookers in them. So you should expect to take a cooker with you. Airlines don't like gas cannisters in packs (long story...;-) but gas bottles are available everywhere from harware shops, The Warehouse, and camping shops obviously. Meths (metho) is also available from the same places if alcohol stove are more your style. If you are planning to stay in the huts grab some huts tickets from DOC for about $5 each. Most huts require one ticket per night, some (especially if they have gas cookers) require two or three.

Seth: Indeed I will be bringing sunblock and insect repellent but it is buried deep within the "other" pile in the gear list.

Barry: You hit the nail on the head, I will be doing Pelorus river track and Richmond range as a 9 day section. Also, thanks a bunch for your advice regarding the cookers, I started to think about that on my training hike. I had just heard from friends about using gas cookers on their trip and was going to look it up. As there should not be too much wind in the huts (?) I might save a bit of weight and leave my Calderra Cone at home and make myself a coke can stove.

Also, so far the Zpacks jacket has been ok. It busted a small hole in a heavy scrub bashing session (quickly fixed with tape) and isn't as breathable as some, but generally works well and is very light. If you are thinking about one, I would definitely advise using Joe's single sided cuben tape rather than seam sealing it!

Yeah I was really really surprised that this mat held up so well. My neoair which also uses a 30d fabric always seems to blow holes, but I have used this one far far more and it hasn't ever thought of developing a hole.

As a lilo it also worked great. Plenty of floatation and it ran over a bunch of sharp rocks without any problems (I was taking a risk of course and I wouldn't advise people to rely on it). For fast grade one or easy grade 2 it is pretty much perfect. Finding a way to carry your pack properly is a bit of mission though.